Sjogren's flare-up?

This week my mouth has been feeling extra dry. I find I am reaching for water more often than usual. Not only does my mouth feel dry, but my eyes and nose feel dry too. I am willing to bet my saliva glands are acting up again, and I think I know why.

I have been trying to add some things to my diet because I am always fatigued and faint. I know red meat is okay for me to eat because when I eat it I don't get any joint pain after. I have been trying to add eggs to my diet and I "thought" I was in the clear, but now I am not so sure. I also have been eating lots of natural peanut butter and chocolate cashew milk (it tastes SO good) and I am trying to pinpoint what may have caused the flare-up. My left index finger has also been puffy this week too. I don't feel terrible, but it is enough to make me want to step back and evaluate what I have been eating.

I think it is the chocolate cashew milk.

I've stopped adding cocoa powder to my oatmeal after learning about child labor in the Ivory coast where most of the world's import of cocoa bean comes from. I miss chocolate! Drinking chocolate cashew milk was my way of getting my chocolate in my diet. Now what?

Tonight I had a bowl of oatmeal with cut up banana and honey and cinnamon. It was really good! I was a little weary of adding the cinnamon, but it really made it taste good. Definitely doing that again.

I am so sleepy right now. I just finished cleaning up the kitchen. I had to wash the dishes sitting in a chair again. I am not sure if my issue is fatigue from Lupus or if it is from low iron in my blood. I had an iron test done last week and it was all in range, although some of the values looked to be a bit on the low side. Here's a picture.

Iron panel

I have been running my body short I guess. I keep wanting to ride my bike every night as the sun goes down because it is the only time I feel alive and sometimes when I get lost in the music on my headphones, I can forget all of my troubles. I take a deep breath and thank God that I am alive and ask Him to help me heal. It is a wonderful time. I want to ride every night, but days like today prove to me I am not strong enough to do so, yet. 

I've been drinking lots of green smoothies since yesterday with flaxseed and I think it is helping. Right now I do not feel as "dry inside". Hopefully tomorrow I feel stronger. I put down some frozen ground beef in the fridge to defrost. I hope it will be ready to cook tomorrow. I need some beef.

And I have been taking my pituitary medicine, which can cause low BP and dizziness. Thankfully I do not suffer from dizziness while on it, but I do get extra tired and weak feeling. I wonder if it is a BP issue. 

Anyways, thankful to be alive, thankful to be here. I praise God for this day, for it was good. I didn't wake up in pain, I didn't notice any alarming swelling anywhere, and I was strong enough to do what I had to do today. All in good timing. I know I will feel better someday if I keep up my nutrient dense diet and faith. 

Thanks for reading.